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Abstract
Maternal gatekeeping research has documented consequences for paternal parenting and father-child relationship quality. This study examined the prenatal predictors of maternal gatekeeping behaviors among unmarried, Black couples with a 3–6-month-old baby. Prenatal survey data was collected from both mothers and father on 1) parental expectations for father involvement, 2) co-parenting and inter-parental relationship quality, 3) gender role ideology, and 4) economic distress. Pregnancy intention (planned vs. unplanned) was also considered as a moderator. Fathers reported on mothers’ inhibitory and facilitative maternal gatekeeping behaviors at the post-birth assessment. Bivariate correlations and hierarchical regression analyses indicated that fathers’ higher prenatal expectations for father involvement were related to less inhibitory gatekeeping, whereas mothers’ higher prenatal expectations for father involvement were related to greater inhibitory gatekeeping. For facilitative gatekeeping, only fathers’ greater economic distress was associated with higher levels of maternal facilitation. Associations were not moderated by planned vs. unplanned pregnancy status.